Forgiveness:  WHEN does it get provided?

What a wonderful blessing our forgiveness is!

Ephesians 1:7

⁷ In [EN = in or by (the dative of means case)] whom WE HAVE redemption through his blood, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, according to the riches of his grace; [Emphasis added]

Here we’re clearly told that as believers we have the complete forgiveness of all our sins.  But what confusion there is about how this forgiveness is obtained.  Is faith in the gospel message necessary for someone to obtain it? If it is, where is a passage of Scripture in the apostle Paul’s thirteen epistles that we find that stated? Because that’s such an important truth it seems to me that there would be not just one but at least several such passages.  But if you investigate this, you’ll find that there’s not even one verse that tells us we were forgiven of our sins when we first believed the gospel message.  Instead, you’ll find other passages like Colossians 1:14 that inform us that we’re forgiven of all our sins— past, present, and future!  We know our future sins are already forgiven because ALL our sins were in the future when Christ died paying the full penalty for them.  In so many books and articles you’ll find our forgiveness listed right along with other blessings that we DO receive at the point of our salvation, but there’s no BIBLICAL evidence that forgiveness was one of them.  Here are some examples of those blessings that we’re told WERE provided WHEN we first believed the gospel message for salvation.

—Regenerated— being born again to have spiritual life

          Titus 3:5

—Adopted into the family of God

          Ephesians 1:1 1:5 

—Spiritually baptized – being made members of the Body of Christ

          1 Corinthians 12:13

—Made saints – separated from all others and becoming one of God’s people

          Ephesians 1:1

—Reconciled unto God – having been His enemies

          Colossians 1:21

—Made ambassadors of Christ to be God’s personal representatives

          2 Corinthians 5:20

—Positioned in heavenly places and made citizens there

          Ephesians 1:3 & Philippians 3:20

—Made a part of God’s elect to share in Christ’s blessings

          Ephesians 1:4

—Made beneficiaries who share in Christ’s inheritance

          Ephesians 1:11

And the list goes on.  There are others.  But WHEN was the blessing of God’s forgiveness provided for us? Didn’t Christ pay the penalty for our sins when He suffered on the cross of Calvary? Doesn’t a person have to believe this to even get saved? Isn’t this an inherent part of our gospel message?

2 Corinthians 5:21a

^21a For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]

And why does that verse say He did that?  You’ll see the answer to that in the second half of the verse—

2 Corinthians 5:21b

^21b that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]

It doesn’t say we were THEN reconciled, but that we MIGHT be reconciled.  When then is our reconciliation for our salvation completed? Answer:  When we accept the gospel, the work Christ did to provide all of us with a way of salvation.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

¹ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel [EUANGELION = good news or gospel] which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

“The scriptures” he refers to indicate that, although it was in veiled terms that no one understood at the time, it was prophesied in places like Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 22:17, Mark 9:30-32, and other passages of Scripture.

⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]

All this was done so that everyone, all mankind, would have the opportunity to be saved and gain all the blessings I listed above that come with it.  But WHEN were we forgiven of our sins? I think most people would say it was when we first believed the gospel message.  I often see and hear statements made by people that such is a common belief.  But WHERE is there Scripture that tells us that? After a thorough search you’ll find that there is none.

A major part of the problem at hand on this is to do with the old English translation we have for the Greek word EN.  In some places in the King James Version of the Bible this word is translated with the preposition “in” while in other places that same preposition, the exact same word, is translated with the word “by.” Here’s an excellent example of that—

2 Corinthians 6:4-8

⁴ But in [the Greek preposition EN] all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,

⁵ In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

But notice how the exact same word EN in the Greek is translated in these next verses in that same passage.

⁶ By [the Greek preposition EN] pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,

⁷ By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

⁸ By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; [Emphasis added]

One can hardly help but notice the frequent use of the preposition “in” occurring in so many of these verses.  It is used eleven [11] times in verses four and five.  But then please notice how often the word “by” is used as the translation for the exact same word in the Greek text of the following verses.  It is used and translated this way eleven [11] times in verses six through eight.  So, why is the Greek word EN translated two different ways in the same context.  Why is that? In the Greek text it is the preposition EN that is being translated two different ways, having two different meanings.  Apparently, the answer is that the translators went with the translation that seemed most consistent with THEIR beliefs, THEIR theology.  Is that what they should have done? Of course not!  They should have just translated it the same because the grammar is the same throughout the passage.    It doesn’t change after verse five.  So, where did they get those beliefs?  Again, where’s the Scripture that tells us that forgiveness of sins comes to us by grace through faith in the gospel message?  Answer:  There isn’t any!  Forgiveness occurred at the cross where the debt for sins was completely paid.  Our belief or unbelief had nothing to do with what Christ accomplished at the cross.

2 Corinthians 5:21

²¹ For he [God the Father]  hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]

You’ll find on this website an article I wrote about where some people “think” that teaching comes from.  Here’s the name and link to that article.

Forgiveness:  What is the “gotcha” passage?

As you’ll be able to see for yourself it is all to do with a verse that speaks of accepting or receiving Christ’s work on the cross and His resurrection as the sole basis for one’s salvation.  Here’s that verse—

Acts 26:18

¹⁸ To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. [Emphasis added]

People normally don’t even know about what happened at the cross unless someone explains it to them.  The Acts 26:18 verse IS NOT saying we then receive forgiveness.  As you’ll see in my article, this is about simply accepting [or receiving] Christ’s work instead of one’s own as the basis for one’s salvation.  Salvation comes to us by grace through faith WHEN we put our faith in what Christ did for us though His death, burial, and resurrection.  Again, for more information about this passage please see my article about it—

Forgiveness:  What is the “gotcha” passage?

I have no trouble at all understanding why some people see this Acts 26:18 verse as they do, but, again, there’s nothing in Paul’s thirteen epistles that tells us our forgiveness came WHEN we first believed the gospel message.  It is justification and our resultant salvation that comes by faith in the gospel message.  For that belief we have lots of Scripture.  Here’s a small portion of it—

Romans 3:20-24

²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

²¹ But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

²² Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

The faith OF Jesus Christ is to do with HIS work to provide us with a way for our salvation.

²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Verse twenty-three reminds us that everyone needs the salvation God freely offers.  However, man’s own self-righteousness counts for nothing in gaining it.

²⁴ Being justified FREELY by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: [Emphasis added]

The provision of the means to man’s salvation is totally a work of God.  Man has nothing to do with it.  Even man’s faith is non-meritorious.   The merit in salvation is in the object of one’s faith, not the faith of the one accepting it.  It is Jesus Christ who is the Savior.

Again, 2 Corinthians 5:21

²¹ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]

That little prepositional phrase—“in him” takes us back to my comments about the preposition EN in the Greek.  The word can be translated “in” OR BY.  It is “in” or “by” way of Christ that we gain the righteousness God’s justice demands for our salvation.  The apostle Paul talks about this in his comments about the salvation of even Abraham of long ago.

Romans 4:2-5

² For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

³ For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

⁴ Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

⁵ But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. [Emphasis added]

Paul told the Galatians the same thing.

Galatians 3:6-7

⁶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

⁷ Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. [Emphasis added]

We are said to be “the children of Abraham” in the sense that we gain the righteousness of God by faith just as he did—by believing what God told him.  Even James speaks of this righteousness that comes by faith.

James 2:23

²³ And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. [Emphasis added]

If you think you have to be good enough for salvation and entrance into Heaven, there’s a sense in which you are absolutely correct.  But what you must realize is that it is relying on the perfect righteousness or goodness of Christ that saves, not your own imperfect righteousness.  As I often say, the only thing we contribute to our salvation is the sin that made it necessary.  Our works of righteousness count for nothing in this!

Ephesians 2:8-9

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Emphasis added]

Could it be any plainer that OUR works have nothing to do with it.  Everything about our salvation is courtesy of the grace of God.  We even have many hymns about that like John Newton’s song– Amazing Grace.  It truly is amazing that we are saved by grace through faith in the work of Christ alone.  And what God did at the cross providing us all with forgiveness is a part of that.  This gives all of us the best of incentive to put our faith in Christ and all God provided through Him.  That faith in Him gives us a ticket to Heaven and all its benefits.  It also gives each of us the best of reasons to serve Him by our manner of life.

Romans 12:1-2

¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. [Emphasis added]

Again, knowing all our sins have been forgiven gives us the best of all incentives to serve Him forever unreservedly. It by no means gives us a “license to sin,” as some have erroneously claimed.

Conclusion—

Let’s summarize this.

• God sent Jesus Christ into the world to pay a debt He didn’t owe and one we couldn’t pay.

2 Corinthians 5:21

²¹ For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]

• It was at the cross of Christ that all man’s sins were held against Him and judged.

2 Corinthians 5:19

¹⁹ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, NOT imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. [Emphasis added]

• Because the sins of all mankind (past, present and future) were held against Christ to satisfy God’s justice, they can now never be held against us. The law of double jeopardy forbids that.

1 John 2:2

² And he [Jesus Christ] is the propitiation for our sins [the One satisfying the justice of God]: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. [Emphasis added]

• That debt we owed was paid as an expression of God’s perfect love for all mankind, leaving us all with no excuse to reject His provision for our salvation.

Romans 5:8

⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [Emphasis added]

John 3:16

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [Emphasis added]

• It was AFTER Christ’s work on the cross was done that He surrendered His life.

John 19:30

³⁰ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished [TETALESTAI = paid in full]: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost [PNEUMA = spirit]. [Emphasis added]

• When Christ cried out TETALESTAI [“it is finished”], He was saying His work was done, meaning the payment for man’s sins had been paid in full.
• Because the debt was paid, the sins were then forgiven at that point in time.

Ephesians 1:7

⁷ In [EN = in or by (the dative of means case)] whom we have redemption through his blood [a reference to His work on the cross], the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; [Emphasis added]

• It was the cross of Christ that paved the way for us to gain justification and the salvation that is then provided by faith in Him alone.

Romans 4:25

²⁵ Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. [Emphasis added]

• However, forgiveness of sins alone does not provide anyone with salvation. Forgiveness is subtraction but the imputation of divine righteousness to a believer is the addition of God’s righteousness with resultant justification.  It is THAT which provides salvation instantly and permanently.
• It is when you accept these truths that you’ll gain the blessing of peace of mind and the confidence that you are Heaven bound with your eternal salvation completely and permanently secured.

Philippians 4:7

⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep [PHROUREO = guard] your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. [Emphasis added]

It is what Jesus Christ accomplished through His death, burial, and resurrection that is the most important of all messages in the Bible.  It is, therefore, not surprising that there is so much confusion and ignorance about it.  Satan has done his best work in blinding people to the truth about it.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4

³ But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

⁴ In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. [Emphasis added]

Everything imaginable has been heralded as the means to one’s salvation—water baptism, church membership, living by The Ten Commandments, and countless others.  But salvation only comes through one’s faith in what Christ accomplished at the cross and through His death, burial, and resurrection.

Again, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

¹ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]

The details of what He accomplished through this are plainly given.

2 Corinthians 5:19-21

¹⁹ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

This tells us God is not holding any of your sins against you, only your unbelief and/or rejection of what He did about them through Christ.

²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

²¹ For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]

It is THIS message that gives us a ministry, nothing else! The good news [the gospel] we have to share in “our” part of the world is THIS message.  It is the message of all messages, the news of all news. When was the last time you shared this news with someone? Is it not worth your time to do so? We talk to people all the time about all kinds of things.  Why not this? You’ll never have a conversation with anyone that outweighs the importance of this.

Man’s own works of righteousness count for NOTHING in salvation. Nothing at all!

Again, Ephesians 2:8-9

⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast. [Emphasis added]

Our works of righteousness are no substitute for the One Work of Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.  Accept it today as the only means for your salvation and you’ll be immediately saved forever! The good news you have to share is that forgiveness of all our sins was provided at the cross.  Salvation occurs when someone believes it.